What is gratitude?

Does it require receiving? Does it require giving? When is the best time to be grateful—in times of excess or lack?

Dictionary Definition
grat·i·tude [ grátti tud ]
1. thanks: a feeling of being thankful to somebody for doing something

Jullien’s Definition

Gratitude is appreciation for what you already have.

To appreciate means to increase in value. What we choose to give our time and attention/presence—our most valuable assets to—increases in value to us. It also works the other way around—what we value we give time and attention to.

Gratitude is less about receiving and more about giving (time and attention). If we didn’t receive anything else…if the world didn’t get “better,” could we and would we still be grateful? In this scenario, what could we be grateful for? We can only be grateful for what we already have—people, moments, memories, time, the food in front of us, laughter, joy, love, etc.

Gratitude can’t coexist with expectation or entitlement. They are future-based while gratitude is grounded in the moment…in the now. We use the language “Nobody deserves that,” when bad things occur to people, but in reality, nobody deserves anything…good or bad. The age-old question of “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is because “good people” don’t deserve anything for being good. If they want to be good, they should be good without expecting to get a smiley face sticker from God. I think they will find their lives are more joyful overall when they are “good” but there is no guarantee.

When we are too goal-oriented and focused on the future, we miss all of the “millionaire moments” that occur in our lives every day. Instead of being grateful for what we have right now and where we are, our time and attention is on what’s next. Anytime we leave the present, we leave a gift. We leave an opportunity to just be grateful. The more more more mentality may satisfy GDP (Gross Domestic Product), but there is another GDP to consider—Gratitude & Daily Positives. Being busy, takes us away from a mindset of gratitude because it is based in scarcity (e.g. not having a job, not being able to pay bills, not getting promoted, etc) rather than abundance (e.g. if I create value we all benefit).

There are tons of things to be grateful for now. A great place to start is by listing all of the things in our lives that didn’t have to happen, but somehow did. First off, let’s start with breath. There are some people who are literally on their last breath as you read this. Approximately 2 people die every second. Regardless of how tough life has been, would you prefer or not prefer to breath? What are all of the things that have happened for you that didn’t have to happen?

We can be grateful for what has happened or what hasn’t happened, but through my daily gratitude journal I’ve found that I’m most grateful for the things that I haven’t had any control over. First and foremost, I’ve come to realize that I have very little control over anything except my own thoughts, choices, and time, therefore, a lot of my life is an adventure. Moments will occur like bumping into an old friend, seeing a beautiful flower in the midst of a cement city, the sunset, receiving a beautiful thoughtful email written just for me from someone who was thinking of me, a new client calling out of thin air, or the ability to go grocery shopping and pay for healthy food. I’m also grateful for the few things that I do have control of because the world could work in a way where I didn’t and in some cases/places people don’t have control over those their thoughts, choices, and time.

I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal every day for months now. I take time to acknowledge and capture “millionaire moments” that occur for me. This daily practice has taught me a lot:

• To start with what I have
• To shift my mindset from scarcity to abundance and keep it there
• To honor all of the “small” magical moments life offers us
• To be grateful for the few things I control and the many things I don’t. More of my gratitude comes from the moments/sequences I wasn’t in control of
• To be present. We miss so many blessings when we’re busy
• The anticipation of or search for things to be grateful for increases our happiness alone
• Life is in the minute moments
• Gratitude is an attitude/perspective/awareness. Two people can have the same thing and experience them in different ways
• Gratitude begins with giving (time and attention), not receiving, therefore everyone can access it
• To release expectations. Nothing is promised (breath, sight, marriage, riches, love, etc)
• Everything is of/from the Source
• To release control
• To be grateful just because, not in comparison (e.g. Thanks for this food because others are starving). Having what others don’t have is not the basis of gratitude—that would require lack in the world
• To redefine wealth. We can all experience the richness of life now.
• What we appreciate appreciates in value
• Thou shall not want

What we appreciate appreciates!